


Through the Jungle, Through the Dark

by andymcnope



Category: Birds of Prey (Comic)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Random & Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-29
Updated: 2014-04-29
Packaged: 2018-01-21 07:38:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1542836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andymcnope/pseuds/andymcnope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dinah takes Babs on vacation to Lake Mackachitahoo. (set post BoP v2)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through the Jungle, Through the Dark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jadesabre](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jadesabre/gifts).



> For Kristen. You jerk.

*

“Come on, Babs, you’re gonna love this place,” Dinah says as she gets the wheelchair out of the back of the van and unfolds it by the passenger door.

“Dinah, no,” Barbara frowns as she glances at her cell phone, still in the passenger seat. “There’s not even cell service! Do you have any idea how much satellite data costs?”

Dinah grins, obviously happy with herself. “That’s the whole point, genius. My only requirements were accessible buildings, lots of sunshine, beachfront property and  _no internet_.”

Barbara sighs as she adjusts her glasses as she lifts herself off the seat and into the wheelchair. “What am I supposed to do if Charlie gets into trouble?” 

“Don’t you mean  _when_ Charlie gets into trouble?” Dinah teases. “And that’s why Helena’s on strict Charlie-duty this week. Don’t worry though, there’s a landline in the cabin, and the manager knows to alert us if anyone tries to contact us.”

“Minnesota is not exactly St. Tropez,” Barbara points out as she rolls through the beaten dirt path with ease until she hits the walkway, wooden planks curving from the elements over time.

“Come on, Babs, when’s the last time you went on a vacation?” 

Barbara opens her mouth to say it and then she has to stop and think. “Huh… When was it that you dragged me to that vacation to  _play the field_  after things went south with a certain green-wearing superhero?”

Dinah tilts her head and places her hands on her hips, the familiar pose looking a little out of place in her jean overalls and bikini top underneath. “Yeah, you’re gonna have to be more specific. But I guess the answer is  _not in forever_ , so here we are. Lake Mackachitahoo!”

“Isn’t this where you got attacked by Kobra and the Ravens got sucked into pre-historic times?” Barbara glances around to the peaceful landscape, trying not to shudder at the amount of mosquitos currently trying to use her a buffet.

“Maaaaaybe…” Dinah replies, dragging the first syllable as she carries all of their luggage up to the porch of the cabin. “Come on, we can play Scrabble. Wait, no, that’s a bad idea because you’re gonna try sneak techie terms in there and I didn’t bring a dictionary from the 80s. Maybe something with pop culture references so I actually have a shot.”

*

It’s mid afternoon by the time they make it to the water; there’s a sandy lakefront beach, but they chose the small wooden pier instead. Dinah knows how much Babs loves the water, so getting in is easy enough, her best friend moving effortlessly through the lake water.

Dinah dangles her feet over the edge of the pier, feels the tiny fish trying their best to dodge her, the braver ones brushing against her skin.

“Hey Dinah, did you bring your suit?” Babs asks as she floats on her back.

“If you make one fishnet joke, I swear you will have to roll your way to the nearest bus station,” Dinah teases and flicks her feet to splash water at Babs.

Babs laughs and floats over until she can swim in circles in front of Dinah. “Sometimes I miss having a costume, but there’s not much point in putting one on to sit behind a computer.”

Dinah smiles, paddles her feet back and forth, no real purpose. Babs can haul herself out of the water with no problem, she’s seen it plenty of times. Dinah’s still surprised when her friend holds on to her feet, wraps her arms around her ankles like a support bar so she can calmly bob in the water. (She’s just still overwhelmed when Babs lets her do things, like unpack the chair or push her super fast at the park until the wind’s billowing past them as they laugh. It’s— it’s just not something a lot of people get to do around Babs.)

“Last time I was here, we hadn’t even met yet,” Dinah adds with a frown. “That’s so weird, to remember what that was like.”

Babs leans back on the water, auburn hair flaring out against the dark lake. “I wasn’t what you were expecting.”

Dinah shakes her head. “That’s what’s weird, because you were.” Dinah shrugs and readjusts her bikini. “I wasn’t sure how I could get to know someone from just a voice and random missions all over the world, but I knew you before I met you. More importantly, I trusted you.”

Babs offers her a confused smile. “And you don’t trust easily,” she comments.

“That could be argued,” Dinah adds with a laugh, thinking of all the wrong calls she’s made in the past— oh well, forever. “But back then? I couldn’t even trust myself.”

“I could, Dinah.”

“You did.”

 

*

“Haven’t seen you two beauties around before,” An older man in a plaid shirt with a hunting vest comments, as Barbara tries to navigate the chair over sticky barroom floors.

“That’s because we’re from out of town,” Barbara offers as she gets to an empty table.

“I’m gonna go grab us some menus. Do you want the usual drinks, sweetie?” Dinah asks as she sheds the leather jacket onto the table.

“That’s fine,” Barbara replies. “Thanks.”

The man, who appears to be at least six beers in, leans against the table. “I’m sorry, ma’am. Didn’t realize you two were—“

“What?” She glances at the man in confusion, her glasses rubbing against a sunburnt spot on the bridge of her nose, and then the lightbulb goes off in her mind. “Oh, we’re not… she’s my partner, I mean—” 

“It’s alright. You know what, I admire your courage. Got a nephew struggling right now, and it’s just been a pleasure to meet you. Have a nice evening, now,” he adds before he tips his cap and moves away.

“What was that?” Dinah asks as she brings back two bright colored drinks.

“The usual,” Barbara offers as she takes a sip of her drink. 

It does the trick, however, as the two of them are mostly left alone. It doesn’t stop Dinah from scouting the entire room, and especially after the second drink, the blonde is laughing at her own commentary.

“Look on the bright side, Babs: the closest any of these guys have ever gotten to the JLA or the JSA was slipping their Superman underoos on. We keep saying we need to date guys who are not trouble magnets, and let’s be honest - spandex and leather scream trouble magnet.”

Barbara rolls her eyes. “Underoos? Really?”

Dinah pouts. “It’s a word. Or at least it’s a term, okay? You’re ignoring my point.”

“Only because they’d be more into Batman, obviously.”

“You’re biased, that’s not fair,” Dinah reminds her. “Also I think you’re stereotyping. There could be a few Wonder Woman fans here.”

They laugh more than they have in a long time.

*

Dinah sits outside cradling a coffee mug between her hands; the temperature has dropped considerably after sunset, this wind blowing over the lake water that makes her wrap her jacket tighter around her.

Babs is asleep, three drinks past her usual two-drink-limit, binary jokes and candy wrapper riddles on the way back to the cabin.

Dinah thinks about the bartender’s question  _Where are you from?_  and she still doesn’t know the answer to that.

Home had been Seattle. Home had been Gotham. Home had been Star City. But she’s been going from city to city for so long, that she’s not sure anymore. Home stopped being places and began being people.

Time feels still on this lake, which seems ridiculous considering the tear in the space-time continuum that had happened there before; Dinah’s feelings towards technology (alien or not) has always been tumultuous. 

She thinks of the machine that S.T.A.R. Labs took out of the lake in front of her - time travel. Where would she go?  _When_?

Her first thought is of Sin, but she knows she did the right thing, beginning to end. Any lingering pain she has is her own. Same with her parents - as strained as their relationship as a family had been at times, she knows they did everything they could have for each other.

And Ollie… she thinks of Ollie - of Lian - but she knows she can’t change what has already happened. Truth be told, life with Ollie repeated itself time and time again, no technology needed.

Her mind settles on Babs; tries to imagine her in her Batgirl costume. Sure, she’s seen pictures, but it’s not the same. She thinks of the fateful night that Barbara Gordon’s life changed forever, and even though she knows the past is set in stone (nothing would ever come out of a trip through time just to punch Joker), she wishes she could’ve been there for her friend afterwards. 

(It’s not until Dinah’s settled in her cabin bed that she realizes she never once considered going back to the night she lost her cry and almost everything else.)


End file.
